Combined carrying case and article of furniture



March 18 1924. 1,487,575

A.F.KANTHACK COMBINED CARRYING CASE AND ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 18 .1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR March 18 1924. 1,487,575

A. F. KANTHAcK COMBINED CARRYING CASE AND ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 18 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 l/Vl/E/VTOH 5A: Azberzfilianzzaa V A ifi m $4 \QQx C\\\ A TTORNEYS ALBERT r. raaoa, or en. PAUL, iamun'scra.

COMBINED CARRYING" CASE AND ARTICLE OF IEURNIIURE.

Application filed. (letober 18, 1922. Serial No. 5953M.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. KAN- TIIACK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Combined Carrying Case and Article of Furniture, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip:

tion.

This invention has relation to articles which are especially useful in outing or camping trips and contemplates a'combined carrying. case for transporting food, utensils, or the like, whichcase is adapted, when desired, to be converted into an article of furniture such as a table, a storage cabinet for food, utensils, or other similar articles.

One of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of an article of the character described, which is readily convertible from a carrying case to an article of furniture, or vice versa, and which when used in the former capacity occupies a mini* mum amount of space whereby the same may be readily carried on the running board of an automobile or other vehicle.

Further objects reside in the provision of an article of the type set forth which affords ready means for gaining access into the interior of the same whether in a set-up or folded condition, and which further affords maximum table and shelving space when set up.

The invention is furthermore featured by the cheapness with which it may be manufactured, the strength and simplicity of its construction and its lightness of weight and compactness to facilitate its transportation.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction set forth in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the full extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claims areexpressed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating two of the articles folded or collapsed for use as carrying cases.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View similar to Fig. 1 and illustrating the leaves of the upper article swung to open position for employing the same as a small table.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, illus trating one of the inner side walls swung to open position to afford a shelf, the outer side wall swung upwardly to afiord a superposed shelf and the top or cover swung to open position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating one of the articles in set-up condition as a table with the inner side wall swung out w'ardl to afford a shelf and permit of gaining 0 access to the interior.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the articles in set-up condition with one of the outer side walls open and the top open.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two of the articles set up as tables and adjacent each other.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 of Fig. 4.

Figure 8 is a sectional View similar to Figure 7, illustrating the article in its folded or collapsed condition.

' Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 1()--10 of Fig. 9 with the lid shown in closed position.

Referring'to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 and 11 designate respectively combined carrying cases and articles of furniture which are preferably used in pairs and which are of substantially identical construction. Each of the cases or articles consists of a bottom 12, ends 13 and upper side connecting rails 14. A pair of lower cleats 15 are secured to and extend longitudinally of the bottom 12 and are.

spaced slightly inward from the side edges of the bottom to afford stop shoulders against which the lower edges of the outer sides 16 abut when in closed position. The outer sides 16 are hinged as at 17 to the upper side rails 14 and are designed to be swung outwardly and upwardly to constitute leaves which are disposed in horizontal alignment with the cover 18 which is hinged as at 19 to the side rails 14. A. pair of swinging braces 20 are hinged as at 21 to the outer sides 16 and said braces are provided at their inner free ends with notches 22 which engage retaining pins 23 for holding face of each end wall 13 and the vertical 7 sides of said frame are cut away to accommodate and guide the swinging braces. Inner sides 25 are hingedly connected as at 26 to the cleats 15 for outward and downward swinging to permit of the gaining of access to the interior of the body of the case or table ,and to provide shelves extending from the bottom. The said sides 25 are connected by a flexible element such as a chain 27 to the upper side rails 14 for the purpose of supporting the same when opened in a horizontal position. When folded or closed the inner sides 25 snugly fit in the space de1 fined between the frames 24, the upper side rails 14: and the cleats 15. A socket member 28 is attached at each corner to the under side of the bottom wall 12 and is designed to receive the terminal 29 of the removable legs 30. The ends 13 are preferably provided with a handle 31 for facilitatmg the handling of the case. The case or article 11 is of substantially identi a1 construction to the case or article 10 w th the exception that the former-is subdivided by transverse partitions ,32 into end comp artments 33 and acentral compartment 34.

he compartment 34 is provided with a removable metallic lining 35 which is designed as a receptacle for ice whereb food may be maintained and transported 1n the case 11.

In use of the invention, the cases or articles maybe used singly but preferably in pairs, in which instance the case 11 is preferably employed for the carrying of foodstuds and the case 10 for the carrying of utensils, blankets, or other requisites for camping or outing outfit.

- To employ the devices as a carrying case the inner sides 25 are swung inwardly as illustrated in Fi 8 and the outer side 16 swung downwardly and inwardly as illustrated also in Fig. 8 to overlie the inner sides. The articles to be carried are then stored in the case and the cover 18 is closed as illustrated in Fig. 10 and when the destination is reached and it is desired to set up the cases in the form of articles of furniture the legs 30 are attached in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, or if desired one of the cases may be employed as a base or support for the other as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. twocases may be set up as' tables and arranged adjacent each other as in Fig. 6 to provide one large table. The sides or top maybe 0 ened at any time to permit the gaining 0 access to the interior, whether the device is in a set-up or closed condition. Under this arrangement it will be seenthat carrying cases are provided which may be rapidly and readily converted into various articles of furniture when required and which articles afford a maximum table and shelving space when set up.

lVhcn found desirable the wal '.top, a top wal aeaws I claim:

1. A combined carrying case and article of furniture comprising a box-like body having open sides and an open upper end, a top hinged to said body for covering the upper end, inner and outer side walls hinged to said body and adapted to overlap one another for closing the o 7 en side, the outer side walls being hinged or upward swinging movement to a horizontaliplanc in alignment with the top and the inner side walls being hinged for downward swinging move ment to a horizontal plane in alignment with the bottom, and independent means for respectively retaining said inner and outer side Walls in their opened positions.

2. A combined carrying case and article of furniture comprising a box-like body having open sides and an open upper end, a top hinged to said body for covering the upper end, inner and outer side walls hinged to said body and adapted to overlap one another for closing the 0 en side, the outer side walls being hinged or upward swinging movement to a horizontal plane in alignment with the top and the inner side walls being hinged for downward swinging movement to a horizontal plane in alignment with the bottom, independent means for respectively retaining said inner and outer side walls in their opened positions, supporting legs for said body, and means for detachably associating said legs to depend from the under side of said body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a combined carrying case and article of furniture comprising a body including a bottom having parallel longitudinal cleats on the upper side spaced inwardl fromthe edges thereof, end walls, and ongitudinal side rails connecting the free upper portion of the end walls whereby to rovide an open top and sides, inner side walls hingedly connected at their lower ends to the cleats, a connection between said inner sidewalls and the ends for limitingthe downward swinging movement of the same to a horizontal plane, outer side walls hingedly connected at their upper ends to the side rails and normally overlying the inner side walls and abutting with the cleats at their lower edges, said outer side walls adapted for upward swinging movement to a horizontal plane, hinged braces connected to said outer side 8 having notches at their free extremities, and retaining pins adapted to engage said notches for holding the outer side walls in a horizontal lane in alignment with the F having hinged connection with one of the side rails and adapted when cloged to be supported by the opposite side ra1 4. As a new article of manufacture, a combined carrying case and article of furniture comprising a ody including a bottom having parallel longitudinal cleats on the upper side spaced inwardly from the edges thereof, end walls, and longitudinal side rails connecting the free upper portion of the end walls whereby to provide an open top and sides, inner side walls hingedly connected at their lower ends to the cleats, a connection between said inner side walls and the ends for limiting the downward swinging movement of the same to a horizontal plane, outer side walls hingedly connected at their upper ends to the side rails and normally overlying the inner side walls and abutting with the cleats at their lower edges, said outer side walls adapted for upward swinging movement to a horizontal plane, hinged braces connected to said outer side Walls having notches at their free extremities, retaining pins adapted to engage said notches for holding the outer side Walls in a horizontal plane in alignment with the top, a top Wall having hinged connection with one of the side rails and adapted when closed to be supported by the opposite side rail, socket members attached at each corner to the under side of the bottom wall, and legs having angularly disposed terminals engageable in the socket members to provide means for supporting the device.

ALBERT F. KANTHAGK. 

